Rice

Rice is the main food for half the people in the world & approximately 114 countries cultivate rice. About 90% of total rice is produced in Asia. It is the second largest staple food crop in Pakistan and is a major source of export earnings in recent years. It accounts for 4.4 percent of value added in agriculture and 0.9 percent in GDP. It is one of the most important sources of employment and income for rural people. Pakistan grows high quality rice to meet both domestic demand and exports. Rice is full of vitamins, minerals & proteins and provides an excellent source of vitamin E, vitamin B (thiamin, niacin), potassium etc. Rice Straw, more or less equivalent in production weight to grain, is used as fuel for cooking, roofing material, livestock feed, fertilizer etc. In 2009-10, area sown under rice was 2.8 million hectares and the production of the crop was 6.8 million tons. Hybrid rice has a yielding advantage over the best commercial rice varieties. Hybrid rice seed demand is increasing day by day due to its high yield potential especially in Sindh and southern Punjab.